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FYI:
http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/2012/0...harry-kim/
This is an unsolicited endorsement of Harry Kim for Mayor of the County of Hawaii in 2012. I strongly urge each and every one of my supporters to place your trust in Harry Kim as our next Mayor. He brings an honest and open approach to the governmental process and he listens to all sides of a discussion. His exemplary public service over the years has earned him the trust and respect of the people. This is something that money or a smooth public relations campaign cannot buy. Much like our beloved Senator Daniel Akaka, former Mayor Kim has earned the distinction of statesman of our County because he governs with the true spirit of aloha.
(*More at link)
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This is not really a surprise, but it is interesing, nonetheless. What I'm wondering is what effect the elections office mess will have on the value of a Yagong endorsement. I prefer Harry Kim because of the fact that he doesn't accept big donations, but if elected, he will find it much harder to manage the County in the current fiscal environment than it was the last time he was Mayor.
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Good point about the $. In his term Harry Kim took the budget from $198 million to $402 million. He dramatically increased County employment. Like Billy or not he has without complaint spent four years getting size and cost of government under control.
As to contributors a good question would be whether their is evidence of corruption resulting from it.
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quote:
Originally posted by wax
Good point about the $. In his term Harry Kim took the budget from $198 million to $402 million. He dramatically increased County employment. Like Billy or not he has without complaint spent four years getting size and cost of government under control....
I like Harry Kim. He has always had a strong environmental agenda. But it is hard to ignore the 200% (that the percentage right?) of increase in our county budget at a time when many many people are struggling... unless you have a county union job security.... On the other hand, Kim had a larger tax base (real property tax overall was higher with higher appraisals).
Billy has kept it under control although I could more firmly vote his way if he had reduced it by a large percentage, too.
What to do? What to do?
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You never hear Harry reflect on his huge increases in budget - only justification. Even if the money was available he should have either used it for capital investments - and we need many, improved property maintenance or other such which would have put us in better condition for the eventual down turn. He did little or none of this, spending on salaries and recurring expenses.
I have a hard time seeing him as an environmentalist when he allowed our parks and properties to languish. Under the covers I think it was largely self delusion that allowed him to sound like an environmentalist.
